Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-11-27

himself and his patient sister. Just theL
it aim )st meddened him.
"We are a happy family-we are!'
shouted Dick, tossing s slice Of his
uncia's toast 10 Birg0.
However, l0sd 81 growing douos and
mor,i1c1lion bad 5een lifted from tne
hear Of Mel41ie BIZ rhe discovery OF thai
morning, aud she fciI thankful that the
Institution os The dgspatch-box had
pro7ed futile in the end; aud thai it would
DE- used no more, By her at lesss.
Aad now Il seemed most strange tina
! sus p,cion Of this system2 ic sndccntinued
trc8chery had never occurred to her be-
fore.
Though sorry TO ieavs her just then
Reggie returned 20 the hall, where he was
aware that he had to keep his own coun'
sci tb)u the recent denouement, with
reference TO his host, for whose citation
caused by Mr.. Grimshaw's last letter, he
could not account.
But stung 20 the soul by Whist his uncle
had said to hin, ere he left Rose CottSge
youpg Talbot said to that gentleman,
when he sought to excuse himself in the
matter of Melanie's correspondence:
"Cen any motive excuse stu? No, sir;
no motive, however good-and this was
no for goo6-G6n excuse lie, for lie is
always sinful in s Elf, and every time you
suppressed letter you told falsehood
In effect, and was thus guilty OF il, and
woree!"
MeIanie's horror of her uncle WAS now
| intensified. She had learned how sys-
temstically cruel he could be ard had
been, in witnessing, unmoved, her apX-
| iety, misery, occasional tears and bitter
modification at the non-srriVal of letters
which he had been pitilessly committing
! to the flames.
WHIST hope could she have of him
what faith in him-for the future? And
yet, for the sake of Reggie and Dick, who
who were so helpless, she dared not defy
him openly.
She would leave Rose Cottage and
work at anything for stipend, however
small, she thought once more, as the old
desire for freedom grew strongly in her
mird; but would there be any happiness
in that freedom when her two dear ones
were left behind her and to his mercy?
Yet it was with 8 bright and happy ex-
preston ripping all over her sweet face,
that esrly the same forenoon, Melsnie,
that not moment might DE lost, took
her way through the now damp and
dreGry November lanes to the village
postoflce, il order to despatch with her
own haad-as Reggie had suggested-the
letter which she had written swiftly, low
ingly, and full of explanations to Mon
tsgue Lonsdale; and though she had tried
earnestly TO keep the pages spotlees and
smooth, they were blistered and blotted
with the tears of affection that would fall
in spite of her.
SIT may be weeks upon weeks before
he gets it," she thought, as with prayer
on her lips she dropped it into the narrow
slit, and heard it fall into the box below
the FIRST stage upon its long, long jour
rey.
Then she turned away to seek her
friends at the vicarage, with-as we have |
SalG-a load Of sorrow lifted off her |
heart.
Full Of her letter and her presents-the
gold necklet and bangles, which were |
beautifully chaset-MelanIe fastened to
show them-her newly-found treasures
young, girl-like, to Amy, who, now that
her own anxieties were over, was merry
and rosy as ever, and in Gil the beauty OF
perfect nealth and activity, with a sweet
unselfish nature, but whose life was
iuat then-she alleged-made some
what OF burden to her, by
her mothers advice and hints
on economy and future household msD-
agement, as il the wife Of royal hussar
had to think of such things! But then,
old Mrs. Brendon was a woman Of rigid
economy, and Was even then eking out
winter mantle of black corded silk from
selection Of hat. bands and funeral scarves.
Certainly, with sil her attractions, il
vas evident that Amy would never be
come what is deemed slime LADY," or
'hine among the stars Of the London
ornament: but Melanie as she listened
envied Amy thst she had 8 mother to
guide her; q mother she could turn to in
Ter troubles, when they came.
Ere Melsnie, 10th to leave the trio of
Kind and sffectioDate friends, had ended !
very protracted visit to the Vicarage, G
.Ween her Uncle Grimshsw and her
brother Dick, an event which her heart
lad long foreb0ded; and now, since the
Expose Of the dispatch box, the mind OF
he former hal become filed with 8
hatred than ever.
JRAPTER XL-PLANTAGENET PUGWAsH,
ESQ |;
Reginald Talbot, We have said, had re-
olved to keep his own counsel ABOUT al
his recent affair on his return TO Ravens
bourne Hsll.
"Now, Dick, shove Of, my boy" said
lie, lspsiug into his nautical phrascolOgy
md setting il motion his self propelliDe
hair, which, in his moments of cheerful
less, he was wont 70 aver made him
lmost independent Of limbs "Yet being
xcluded from all kind OF sport does iso-
ate poor devil So" ne would add.
And nov, as DICK With kindly good
gill pushed his chair from behind, with
3tggo g2mholing snd barking beside him,
he brothers talked at intervals, but in E
iisjolnted manner, of the recent discovery
no If the affair of Melanie and the Baro
ef, for Dick was sharp little lad, and
ul Of observation beyond mis- years.
AS he wheeled his helpless brother
brough the green lanes, where the fallen
pol of autumn lay thick and damp, the
after gave more than one wistful glance c
t the little square tower of StCkencross, '
hen tipped with golden sunshine, for he I
new that the roof of Amy Brendon's +
b0de was close thereby. I
"Life is hard on some people," said he,
'ursuing his own thoughts. "To me it E
GEMS difficult to think that whatever is,
8 best, and 20 be thankful for ones mis-.
ry."
"Things are never so bad that they :
night not be worse, Reggie" said :
DICK, philosophically; "think Of some :